Dennis Hopper’s Last Interview: His Accomplishments, Divorces, and Career

In what would be his last interview, Dennis Hopper tells Vanity Fair contributing editor Bob Colacello that his greatest career achievement was Easy Rider. “Easy Rider and The Last Movie were the only films that I made totally on my own,” he says. When asked if he had to make Easy Rider again whether he would make it differently, Hopper replies, “Would I make it now? It was about then. And I think a filmmaker’s responsibility is to show his time. Brueghel, I think, was the first artist to show his time.”

Hopper says his greatest achievement as an actor was “Blue Velvet, probably. But I’ve been in such incredible movies. I think at one point I’d been in the five most expensive movies ever made—not that I had large parts in them. Apocalypse Now was one.”When Colacello asks Hopper whether he thinks of himself as a director, actor, or artist, Hopper explains, “I made my living as an actor, and I love acting, so I’m an actor. But that gets you in a lot of trouble in the art world. I tell you who’s got it: Viggo Mortensen. He’s a terrific writer. He’s a good photographer. He paints. And he makes music.”

Hopper tells Colacello that he voted for Bush in the 2000 election because “I looked at the two of them and said, ‘Who would I rather have on my side in a fight?’ Bush. That’s a true story.” He goes on to say, “I like Clinton, I like Obama. I hate what’s happening to the country. I think we’re in the worst shape I’ve ever seen. Just think how conservative this country has become. It’s like the 60s never happened.”

Hopper tells Colacello that his divorce from Brooke Hayward came about as he was leaving for New Orleans to shoot Easy Rider. “On the way to the airport she said, ‘You’re on a fool’s journey. Peter [Fonda] can’t act. You’re just going to make a fool of yourself.’ And I said, ‘Well, that’s the way it’s going to go.’ So we got divorced in the car. We just said, ‘That’s it.’â¿¿” (“It’s completely idiotic,” Hayward tells Colacello of Hopper’s account, adding that she didn’t file for divorce until several months later.)

Hopper’s only comment regarding his split from wife Victoria Duffy is “Who would have ever thought I’d be getting a divorce in this state? It was a big shock.” The only other mention he makes of Duffy is when he is discussing politics: “Victoria got very involved with the Obama campaign, and I stepped back out of it. I thought it was good for her to get some glory. It’s hard being married to a celebrity.”

The August issue of Vanity Fair will be available on newsstands in New York and L.A. on Wednesday, June 30, and nationally and on the iPad on Tuesday, July 6.